Not all things are as the appear (Blessings in disguise) On October 17th, 2009 Mama Bear and I were so excited as it was our five year anniversary as a couple. Every year on the first weekend of October Mama Bear and I camp out at the Chumash Powwow. This year the powwow was postponed until October 17th and 18th. Can you just imagine how excited we were to be able to spend our anniversary at our favorite powwow?
On Friday night the 16th of October we got to the camp ground and pitched our tent getting ready for a peaceful evening of rest and relaxation. We began talking to the camper next to us. He has been to twelve of the fourteen Chumash powwows. We had a pretty good conversation then head for bed.
This is the first time that our two and three year old granddaughters camp and attend a powwow and they are pretty excited. Through our excitement and our granddaughters neither of us gets any sleep. In the morning we head for the showers to get ready for the day. I get out of the shower and get ready. I notice that it is already in the mid 90s. Those who know me know that hot weather and I do not get along. I wrap up my leg and cover the cuts as best as I can, grab our chairs and ice chest, and head on up to the powwow. After about half an hour my cut on my leg starts to leak so I head to the Red Cross tent to have my leg rewrapped. The smell from the leak is attracting the flies toward me and I am beginning to sense that this is not going to be a very good day for me.
I head back towards our seats and run into many friends. Some I have known for years and some I have met at past powwows or other Native American events. To make a long story shorter the powwow is absolutely beautiful but something in me just isn’t right. I am not feeling good and know that the heat is just making things worse. I thank Creator though for good brothers and sisters in my life.
Mama Bear wants me to go to the hospital because she knows that something is wrong but many of you know that this Bear is stubborn and I have no plans on going anywhere. Whenever Gil Harper sees me standing he comes by to check on me. He knows that I am in a lot of pain and he too suggests that I go to the hospital. Many others see and know that I am in a lot of pain and come up to me to suggest that I go to the hospital but I keep refusing. I want to enjoy my favorite powwow with my lady and spend our anniversary together no matter how much pain I am in. Eventually it comes to the point where I can no longer say no. Mike and Corinne Fairbanks come up to me and tell me that it is time for me to go to the hospital. They grab my chairs and ice chest and I helplessly follow them to our van. When we get to the van I find out that Mama Bear had already put down the tents and loaded the van so now I have no choice but to go to the hospital seeing that there is a conspiracy going on here lol.
Now I can hear many of you saying poor Bear. This just isn’t right for a brother to have to go through this. Some are saying that Bear sure got the short end of the stick or something like life just isn’t fair. To those who said that I would have to disagree. Not all things are as they appear to be. What happened was suppose to happen. Now did I want our anniversary to end up the way that it did? The answer to that is no. Did I want to end up spending two weeks in the hospital? Again the answer is no. I am however grateful for what ended up happening and I will explain why.
In life things happen. Sometimes they don’t seem to be fair but if you look beyond the surface you’ll see that there is a reason for what is happening. In my situation I will compare it to the game Lets make a Deal. In the game I am offered a box. I know what is inside the box and it is mine if I want it. Inside the box I am being given several games. They are as follows.The blame gameThe pity party gameThe whoa is me gameThe I am the victim game as well as several other party games.
I can keep all of these games or I can choose what is behind door number two. Now I do not know what is behind door number two but I do know that all of the games in the box are very popular. I decide to pick door number two and as the door opens I discover that I won a reality check with a powerful lesson.
You see I have spent a lot of my time helping many people but I allowed myself to get out of balance. We allowed someone into our house who only took. He never gave and we ended up being drained physically, financially, emotionally, spiritually and mentally. We allowed him to bring in his bad spirits and I was not only affected but I was also getting infected by his bad spirits. I was focusing on helping others while at the same time neglecting myself and my own walk. It had been several months since I went to the mountains to spend time with Creator and nature. I prayed but my praying just wasn’t the same. I was neglecting myself and I was out of balance.
My going to the hospital was necessary. My going to the hospital made me face my situation without any outside influences. It gave me time to spend with Creator and working on me. No helping others, no outside influences, no nothing just me and Creator and the occasional nurse coming in to draw blood. Had I not gone to the hospital I could have died as the cut on my leg was infected and the infection went through my whole system including my blood. I also had cellulites. My blood was poisoned from the infection so going to the hospital actually saved my life.
Not all things are as they appear. My going to a physical hospital for two weeks was a blessing in disguise. It allowed me to work on my spiritual, mental, and emotional self while the doctors and nurses worked on my physical self. My going to the hospital is a reminder to me that while helping others I can not neglect myself. I must remember to work on myself and not allow myself to get out of balance. Howa.
Written by Bear Warrior
